Jon and Kate Plus 8: The Saddest Parts of the Season Premiere

When Jon and Kate Plus 8 debuted it appealed to viewers because much like the specials that preceded it, the show centered around more than just eight adorable children, but a real couple — Jon and Kate Gosselin — who for better or worse, were making their marriage work while raising two sets of multiples. It was a feat that most of us couldn't imagine, but show after show, we watched the laughter, banter, and bickering between them. We saw the young husband and wife navigate their way through their chaotic life, taking on trying times and celebrating triumphs together. We've seen them holler and roll their eyes while allowing the cameras to film, but until tonight's fifth season premiere, we'd never really seen them retreat. As a longtime fan of the big brood, I watched the hour-long episode with a lump in my throat. Here are the reasons why . . .Kate Cried: Both fans and foes of the Gosselin matriarch would agree that if anything, the mom to multiples is an incredibly strong woman. To see her so emotional when discussing the state of her marriage was difficult to watch. How could any fellow wife and mother not be affected?Jon No Longer Jovial: The laid-back guy has always been the light-hearted half of TLC's favorite couple. Tonight the man who was married at 22, a dad by 23, and father of sextuplets by 27 seemed disconnected, almost stoic, and broken. It was heartbreaking.
To see the other reasons the season debut was somber,

.No Banter, Not Even Bickering: Jon and Kate are famous for their way— good or bad — of communicating and at the sextuplet's fifth birthday party, there was scarcely any interaction between the two. But, tear-inducing moments between each with their children.Divorce Statistics: While tabloid headlines and news reports are all speculation even when "sources" confirm portions, tonight, talk of splitting up came straight from the couple and that made it all too real. Especially when Kate mentioned the statistic associated with divorce among parents of multiples and said that the family picture may be their last.Separate Sides of the Chair: Jon and Kate have been interviewed side by side in the oversize chair since the show began, often sipping coffee or getting a sugar rush from jelly beans to stay awake. In this episode, they sat in the new chair without touching. Their body language spoke volumes.

Are women so insecure that they feel validated by criticizing others for doing the very thing they're doing? Being rude and acting like they are morally better? Is life so boring that you have to make comments that cut people down? Does anyone else find it silly when people criticize others for doing the same thing they're doing?

The heated Kate Gosselin criticism brings up this point: women can be very harsh on each other. Not surprisingly, there are 100+ comments on this thread, and many of them are attacks on other commenters! Are women so insecure that they feel validated by serially attacking fellow members a pop culture website? Challenging their "sources" for their personal opinions of a TLC television show? Is life so boring that you have to go around picking fights on the internet for excitement? Does anyone else find this silly? I apologize if this sounds harsh but this discussion warranted it. Thanks for listening.

The heated Kate Gosselin criticism brings up this point: women can be very harsh on each other.
Not surprisingly, there are 100+ comments on this thread, and many of them are attacks on other commenters! Are women so insecure that they feel validated by serially attacking fellow members a pop culture website? Challenging their "sources" for their personal opinions of a TLC television show? Is life so boring that you have to go around picking fights on the internet for excitement? Does anyone else find this silly? I apologize if this sounds harsh but this discussion warranted it. Thanks for listening.

6 years

You missed the absolute saddest part of the episode: Hannah (or Alexis; I can't quite remember) clinging to Jon during the birthday party, begging him not to leave her anymore. Her pitiful little cries and the helpless look on Jon's face were heartbreaking.

6 years

Okay this is simple I don't believe in the stuff so i think everyone should leave them alone and let them figure it out i hope they don't stop the show though i a BIG fan (i think it would be so hard on the kids if they got a divorce i mean they got remarried i front of them to tell them they would not get a divorce)
It is just so sad!!

im very upset that social services have not stepped in on the whole ordeal and put their foot down. these people are exploiting their children for their own good use. i understand working at a simple job for your children but using them and exposing them to all the media crazy people just to get a dollar which you only spend yourself?? both kate and john are at fault. obviously kate had been doing something wrong to make her husband want to move further away from her. she has been doing all these book signings and tours as if she is a celebrity and has no family. doesnt anyone see the NEGLECT? i truly hope that these children soon fall into the hands of loving people that can make time to always be with the children and show them whats its like to grown up in a happy environment. as an end note.. how different is kate gosselin from the octomom????

6 years

This whole thing is a disaster if you ask me. It was very depressing to watch the season premiere (even though Aaden did rip a good burp that made me chuckle). It was sad to see no interaction between Jon and Kate; not a hello or a word was exchanged, except when Kate wanted Jon to do something. You can tell both of them are holding in a lot of anger towards each other, so it is expected to see a lack of communication and affection. It was sad to see so much sadness in Jon eyes when he hugged Alexis, and then hear her to say, "Daddy I don't want you to leave anymore." I also noticed both them saying, "family", but no "Us". There should be an invisible fence around them two as a married couple. It is very easy to get too involved with the family and forget to have alone time as a couple. My philosophy as a Christian woman is this: God 1st, husband 2nd and family 3rd. Without that order your priority for both the wife or husband is unbalanced. I really hope they can see light soon and be on the road of recovery. I pray for them all every night.

6 years

Stopping the show may not spare the marriage, but it would be a start.
What it would certainly do - is take the kids out of the public eye.
That's for starters and should be done immediately.
This should not even be up for discussion.
I think people tend to forget - these kids are real people - not dolls.
Sure, they're cute.
I have four adorable ones myself here at home (yup - super adorable!)
But they are children - real living human beings who will sooner (rather than later) be able to see all this negativity about them and their parents on the internet, tv, magazines, etc.
The sooner the parents turn off "lights, camera, action" the sooner the public will forget and move on to other things, hopefully adults, who at least can take the scrutiny.
Kate keeps saying "we can't go back now."
Well, yes you can!
Say "good-bye" cameras and give the kids back their privacy, childhood, safety and security.
If there is still one person out there who doesn't know this - as kate says "news flash."
The entire show is scripted, staged and orchestrated by a team of camera people, lighting, sound and producers.
Kate has said numerous times "this is a realest of the reality shows", when in fact, it is probably the fakest of the fake reality shows, right up there with the Hills and Heidi and Spencer drama.
But by all means, if you're still a fan and don't know how to make a peanut butter and banana sandwich and like pictures of little kiddies that aren't your own -- go ahead and spend your hard-earned money on her book.
Or, here's a thought.
Donate it to some children who could really use it - like one of the 600,000-plus a week families who are being laid-off their jobs.

I am just hoping for the best for the 8 kids. I really hope they can work things out for the sake of there kids whether that is sorting there marriage out or divorcing. If they divorce i hope it is done calmly and i hope they can remain friends and sort out things for the kids. I see that Mady grew up a lot and not that i hated her before but she does not seem to resent the six younger children now as much as she did in season 4. Mady also seems a lot more helpful now which is nice to see. I teared up last night when Alexis said "I don't want you to go daddy." Collin was a cutie in the episode when he told Kate "Thank you for my birthday party mommy." And Hannah was sweet when she was chasing Collin on the bike and then Hannah goes to Collin "Do you want a snack, It's a whole apple." Joel was funny when he was placing his paper plate in the bin and he was about to pout his fork in the bin to and he looked and smiled and then said "No." and he went to put it by the sink. Also the but with Aaden, Collin and Joel like beating each other up was funny. It was funny how now the 3 boys are together and the 5 girls spend time alone. It was like the girls watching television and talking and the boys like play fighting and calling each other names.

i finally watched the rerun episode last night. jon is so angry and kate is so sad. i wonder if jon reallyd did cheat or if his behavior was just stupid and now he's upset because he wishes he had cheated.... and, with such a change to his personality, i wonder if he's doing drugs or taking steriods since a while back he was really into going to the gym.... so many unanswered questions.

Honest to God if I had 8 children (2 sets of multiples) and someone approached me for a show I'd do it too. Those kids have to go to college. I was so surprised when I heard they didn't have a scholarship fund ( I just knew that Huggies or something would have given them a trust fund, I don't know why I thought that). $75,000 is a lot of money per episode and last season had like 100 episodes. I believe Kate is trying to rack up as much money as she can so her kids can have a comfortable lifestyle (which I'd do the same damn thing, sue me). If that means having a show, we're having a show. Now of course she's changed but so has Jon. He just doesn't seem to be trying (imo). Kate loved her job but she quit to stay at home with them. She was the one at home with them all the time (before the book deal) cooking, cleaning, praying for the time to go faster. So know it's her turn to work and he has to stay with the kids and all of a sudden it's a big problem. Yes Jon you had 8 kids before you were 27 but hey shit happens sometimes and you gotta deal with it. I know you missed your youth but now is not the time to experiment (especially with your marriage falling apart) and roll up to your sextuplets birthday party in an Audi/Mercedes/Lexus (whichever car that was) 2-seater (selfish much, you can't fit anybody in that car). Whatever, I'm not gonna write a book on it but they BOTH need to compromise and neither get any sympathy from me (only the children).

Honest to God if I had 8 children (2 sets of multiples) and someone approached me for a show I'd do it too. Those kids have to go to college. I was so surprised when I heard they didn't have a scholarship fund ( I just knew that Huggies or something would have given them a trust fund, I don't know why I thought that). $75,000 is a lot of money per episode and last season had like 100 episodes. I believe Kate is trying to rack up as much money as she can so her kids can have a comfortable lifestyle (which I'd do the same damn thing, sue me). If that means having a show, we're having a show.
Now of course she's changed but so has Jon. He just doesn't seem to be trying (imo). Kate loved her job but she quit to stay at home with them. She was the one at home with them all the time (before the book deal) cooking, cleaning, praying for the time to go faster. So know it's her turn to work and he has to stay with the kids and all of a sudden it's a big problem. Yes Jon you had 8 kids before you were 27 but hey shit happens sometimes and you gotta deal with it. I know you missed your youth but now is not the time to experiment (especially with your marriage falling apart) and roll up to your sextuplets birthday party in an Audi/Mercedes/Lexus (whichever car that was) 2-seater (selfish much, you can't fit anybody in that car).
Whatever, I'm not gonna write a book on it but they BOTH need to compromise and neither get any sympathy from me (only the children).

6 years

Great post #72 and #95. As a mom of twins, born a only a yr after our 1st child, I can tell you that marriages go through BIG changes when little ones come, and dealing with 3 infants (let alone 8) puts your relationship on standby for quite some time.
When Jon and Kate started out, they were like the rest of us with multiples - trying to figure out how to feed them all at the same time, who to change 1st, which one needs consoling NOW and which one can wait. And you wonder why Kate was in sweats all the time then? It's survival mode.
Since then, they have managed to eek out a lucrative career (that is mainly Kate's responsibility), which is absolutely essential to be able to feed and care for their large family. Now that the kids can dress/feed/bathe themselves, why shouldn't Kate get her nails done? I looked like a slob too the 1st few yrs while my kids were little, but now that the youngest ones are 4, I too get manicures, have had my hair and teeth done, and btw, had a boob job and tummy tuck. And I don't wear sweats anymore. Is that so odd that any woman would want to finally take care of herself after yrs of only taking care of everyone else BUT herself? Esp. given that she is on national tv, after all. Give her a break!
So now, the stress of the yrs of raising 8 kids, the stress and obligations of the show, and whatever else we don't know about, has taken a toll on the marriage. No big surprise there. And for all you who bash Kate for being a "shrew" to Jon - believe me, any woman out there with a bunch of little kids, that stays home with them (as she did when they were small), and has a husband come home and "tune out" as often as Jon has, well, that would bring out the harshness in any wife. I can tell you that my husband has a lot of the same behaviors as Jon (acting like he doesn't know how/why/where/which one etc, being "half there"), and he catches it from me time to time too.
That being said, my husband does NOT go out at night alone, nor with guy friends. Now that the kids are older, we can go out together when a sitter stays, or we go out with friends, or with the kids. But if my husband started going out "with the guys" to bars, I would have a problem with that.
In any case, I sure hope that they can manage to pull things together, for the sake of their family. I know that Kate can be difficult, but I feel for her, b/c I have been there (and not even near as bad!) myself, dealing with lots of little demanding ones all day, all night, not ever getting a break, and then snapping at my husband b/c he's acting clueless. She's being demonized b/c she is trying to provide for her family the best way she can, by being on tv, and capitalizing on it. It's b/c of her that Jon gets to drive around in that new little white sports car, and chase younger chicks around. Of course she is going to be resentful of his behavior. Can you imagine? Yeah, I'm on a book tour, making money for the family, so we can pay for 8 kids in college, and you're using that $ to buy cars and screw young girls. Great.

6 years

bottom line is that both parents have made mistakes. I can understand Kate completely. I find her too harsh and too critical but then again when I look in the mirror, I see that I am the same way. In this day and age a lot of us have raised our sons to be less than what they should be and raised our daughters to handle it all. My step-son is a great young man (14 years old) in terms of personality and charisma but boy oh boy does he do stupid and clueless things constantly and my husband will say - well boys will be boys or stop being so hard on him, he will grow out of it. We fight all of the time about how stupid the boy is being. My husband has acted like Jon and I swear I am glad that there is not a gun in the house. In one of my heated moments of watching ineptitude, laziness and cluelessness, I might have used that gun. You marry someone knowing their traits. Jon has said over and over that Kate has always been like this, now he is going to complain about how neat and obsessive she is? Now she is going to complain about his laid back self? The need to turn the cameras off and fix what is going on. Maybe the cameras will be turned back on, maybe not. This show has given them an awfull lot of leeway in life. Jon may not like it but it has afforded him his lifestyle. Kate needs to take a step back and get off of the cover of People and telling us all that we love her hairstyle. Get back to basics!
However with all that being said..whether Jon is unhappy or not, when you are in the public eye, you do not make the kind of mistakes he has made. You do not get caught with some chick in the wee hours of the morning. You do not go out many times to a bar when your wife is out of town to let off some steam. You are married with 8 children.

6 years

They are not an average American family. An average family does not make $70,000 a week, does not take 4 holidays a year, does not get free stuff from Gymboree, Gap, Juicy Juice, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, does not have a bodyguard or 3 PAs or numerous nannies and helpers

6 years

For the last time, college funds is not an excuse. They have college funds set up for them. It is not an excuse for the family's money grubbing ways. It is definitely not something they ever had to worry about, and it is just something the family has never bothered to address or thank on TV

At this point, I don't think that anyone besides Jon & Kate really know what's going on between them. The media spins stories anyway they want to. I just have to think how much harder it is, having to deal with issues while the media (not just TLC) picking apart everything they say or people say about them. At this point, I'm just going to pray for that family and hopefully things start to work out for the better, whatever that maybe

I think eventually they will go off the air, but the question is when (since their show seems to have gained more audience by their marital 'drama') and by then, will their marriage have fallen apart or will they be able to 'survive' if neither can find jobs (normal, without cameras) when their savings dwindle (hey, they're in this very comfortable--possibly higher priced lifestyle, I can't quite imagine them going back to their 'roots' after this--I'm sure they don't want to, I just a feeling that they're way 'comfortable' with the money they've received for doing all this).
I read in a 'gossip' website (I called it 'gossip' because I don't know if there's a real source behind it although they claimed to have 'confidential' source), right now they're (Jon and Kate) negotiating new seasons already focusing on the 'marriage' so it'll be Jon and Kate on marital counseling. Ergh. I need to find that link, I swear I read it somewhere.

I think eventually they will go off the air, but the question is when (since their show seems to have gained more audience by their marital 'drama') and by then, will their marriage have fallen apart or will they be able to 'survive' if neither can find jobs (normal, without cameras) when their savings dwindle (hey, they're in this very comfortable--possibly higher priced lifestyle, I can't quite imagine them going back to their 'roots' after this--I'm sure they don't want to, I just a feeling that they're way 'comfortable' with the money they've received for doing all this).I read in a 'gossip' website (I called it 'gossip' because I don't know if there's a real source behind it although they claimed to have 'confidential' source), right now they're (Jon and Kate) negotiating new seasons already focusing on the 'marriage' so it'll be Jon and Kate on marital counseling. Ergh. I need to find that link, I swear I read it somewhere.

6 years

This is so sad to watch. I think they both needs to watch all the episode themselves (possibly the uncut version) to rekindle back the feelings and the motive of doing the show. Ending the show doesn't solve the problem, but taking a break of doing the show may help them to recover from the marriage problem.

6 years

I really do believe that the show has helped them in many ways. For one thing, the obvious financial burden of 8 kids. I'm not talking about the nice huge new house - but the lifetime expenses times 8 and all at once like their orthodontist bills. Yes, Kate has been very open about being all about money - freaking abut not using coupons, going green only to save money on bills - but I'm sure that she's doing it to save for the kids futures and college tuition. At first it was a special on "how the heck do you feed six infants at once??" But we got hooked and so much of their privacy left. I think the camera has been the conscience for all of them and made them pull together as a family more. Maybe they need to go off air, but I don't know. I think more than anything they need to have a "Jon & Kate day" where they drop ALL the kids and puppies off with a sitter and go on a date night and start listening to each other. I hope they can work it out, and the kids can 100% spot the faking it. Even our dogs can tell if my husband and I are fighting!